What do you think of Putin&#39;s new foreign policy? Will a shift eastward be produc... What do you think of Putin&#39;s new foreign policy? Will a shift eastward be produc...What do you think of Putin's new foreign policy? Will a shift eastward be productive?Putin puts forward a realistic foreign policyrbth.ruA shift eastward and policies based on economic cooperation and pragmatism will be the focus of Russia's relationship with its international partners during Vladimir Putin's third term.

Mike Nova: Russian Orthodox Church became the Ideology Department for Putin’s ruling United Russia Party Mike Nova: Russian Orthodox Church became the Ideology Department for Putin’s ruling United Russia PartyActivists stage a protest against the law prohibiting the "propaganda of homosexuality" in St. Petersburg in November. March 12, 2012 Russian Orthodox Church Backs 'Homosexuality Propaganda' Ban by RFE/RL's Russian Service A leading official in the Russian Orthodox Church has called on Russian lawmakers to adopt a national law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality among minors.Father Dmitry Pershin, head of the church's youth council, has called for the State Duma to...

The West Is the Opposition's Albatross - The Moscow Times The West Is the Opposition's Albatross - The Moscow TimesThe West Is the Opposition's AlbatrossThe Moscow TimesBy Michael Marder It would be halfhearted to blame the authorities alone for the impasse in Russian politics, which after the March 4 election looks, more than ever like a repeat of Leonid Brezhnev's era of stagnation. The problem with the opposition ...

Mike Nova's starred items

Mike Nova: Russian Orthodox Church became the Ideology Department for Putin’s ruling United Russia Party Mike Nova: Russian Orthodox Church became the Ideology Department for Putin’s ruling United Russia PartyActivists stage a protest against the law prohibiting the "propaganda of homosexuality" in St. Petersburg in November. March 12, 2012 Russian Orthodox Church Backs 'Homosexuality Propaganda' Ban by RFE/RL's Russian Service A leading official in the Russian Orthodox Church has called on Russian lawmakers to adopt a national law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality among minors.Father Dmitry Pershin, head of the church's youth council, has called for the State Duma to...

Liberty and free thinking is in your genes! Spread them around, for the true victory of Democracy!

*

Cultural stereotypes may be deep rooted in our genetic makeup, say scientists. Common traits like British individualism and Chinese conformity could be attributed to genetic differences between races according to a new study. The study, by the department of psychology at Northwestern University in Illinois, suggests that the individualism seen in western nations, and the higher levels of collect...ivism and family loyalty found in Asian cultures, are caused by differences in the prevalence of particular genes. 'We demonstrate for the first time a robust association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and the serotonin transporter gene,' said Joan Chiao, from the department of psychology at Northwestern University. Chiao and her colleagues combined data from global genetic surveys, looking at variations in the prevalence of various genes. The findings were matched with other research which ranked nations by levels of individualism and collectivism. The team focused their attentions on the gene that controls levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain which regulates mood and emotions. Their studies found that one version of the gene was far more common in western populations which, they said, was associated with individualistic and free-thinking behaviour. Another version of the same gene, which was prevalent in Asian populations, they said was associated with collectivism and a greater willingness to put the common good first. People with this gene appeared to have a different response to serotonin. If they are confirmed, the findings made by Chiao and her colleagues would suggest that races may have a number of inherent psychological differences — just as they differ in physical appearances. Chiao suggests that the version of the gene predominating in Asian populations is associated with heightened anxiety levels and increased risk of depression. She adds that such populations respond by structuring their society to ward off those negative effects. The success of such social structures would then ensure that the gene would spread. She added the findings showed how culture could exert a powerful influence on human genetics and evolution. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2113350/Why-individualism-free-thinking-genes-British-people.html#ixzz1oudNyUfy

Common traits like British individualism and Chinese conformity could be attributed to genetic differences between races according to a new study.

*

Cultural traits or genetic ones?

by: Dominic Tobin, The Sunday Times

THEY may seem like cultural stereotypes, but the traits of rugged British individualism compared with Chinese conformity may be rooted in genetic differences between races, say scientists.

Their study suggests that the individualism seen in western nations, and the higher levels of collectivism and family loyalty found in Asian cultures, are caused by differences in the prevalence of particular genes.

The scientists looked at a gene that controls levels of serotonin, the brain chemical which regulates mood and emotions. They found one version of the gene was far more common in western populations where, they said, it was associated with individualistic and free-thinking behaviour.

The other version, which was prevalent in Asian populations, was associated with collectivism and a greater willingness to put the common good first. People with this gene appeared to have a different response to serotonin.

If confirmed, the findings would suggest that races may have a number of inherent psychological differences — just as they differ in physique and appearance. “We demonstrate for the first time a robust association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and the serotonin transporter gene,” said Joan Chiao, from the department of psychology at Northwestern University, in Illinois.

Chiao and her colleagues combined data from global genetic surveys, looking at variations in the prevalence of various genes. The findings were matched with other research which ranked nations by levels of individualism and collectivism.

The findings, published in a paper, and in a new book called Pathological Altruism, found that Asian nations, including China, Japan and Korea tended to have higher proportions of the “collectivist” gene in their population.

Such findings will need further confirmation but could provide a tentative explanation of why the Japanese economy, for example, tends to be based around large companies showing high levels of loyalty between managers and employees. Economists often contrast such enterprises with the hire-and-fire culture of the West.

The key questions are: how can one gene have such an effect? And why should it spread in some populations and not others?

Chiao suggests that the version predominating in Asian populations is associated with heightened anxiety levels and increased risk of depression. She adds that such populations respond by structuring their society to ward off those negative effects. The success of such social structures would then ensure that the gene would spread.

Chiao said the findings showed how culture could exert a powerful influence on human genetics and evolution.

Uploaded by UBC on Feb 3, 2011 Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Chiao is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University. She studies how cultural and biological forces give rise to everyday emotion and social interaction. Research in her lab also examines how high-level factors, such as race, gender and age, affect basic cognitive, perceptual and emotional processes.

Psychology Faculty Profiles

Links

Research Interests

How do cultural and biological forces give rise to everyday emotion and social interaction? I use a 'cultural neuroscience' framework to investigate how cultural factors influence basic psychological and neural processes underlying social behavior and emotion processing, using functional neuroimaging (fMRI), event-related potentials (ERP), genotyping and behavioral paradigms. Research in my lab also examines how high-level factors, such as race, gender and age, affect basic cognitive, perceptual and emotional processes. At a broader level, I'm interested in integrating psychology and neuroscience research with public policy and population health issues.

Culture–gene coevolutionary theory posits that cultural values have evolved, are adaptive and influence the social and physical environments under which genetic selection operates. Here, we examined the association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism ...

Abstract

Culture–gene coevolutionary theory posits that cultural values have evolved, are adaptive and influence the social and physical environments under which genetic selection operates. Here, we examined the association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and allelic frequency of the serotonin transporter functional polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) as well as the role this culture–gene association may play in explaining global variability in prevalence of pathogens and affective disorders. We found evidence that collectivistic cultures were significantly more likely to comprise individuals carrying the short (S) allele of the 5-HTTLPR across 29 nations. Results further show that historical pathogen prevalence predicts cultural variability in individualism–collectivism owing to genetic selection of the S allele. Additionally, cultural values and frequency of S allele carriers negatively predict global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorder. Finally, mediation analyses further indicate that increased frequency of S allele carriers predicted decreased anxiety and mood disorder prevalence owing to increased collectivistic cultural values. Taken together, our findings suggest culture–gene coevolution between allelic frequency of 5-HTTLPR and cultural values of individualism–collectivism and support the notion that cultural values buffer genetically susceptible populations from increased prevalence of affective disorders. Implications of the current findings for understanding culture–gene coevolution of human brain and behaviour as well as how this coevolutionary process may contribute to global variation in pathogen prevalence and epidemiology of affective disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are discussed.

Navigate This Article

4. Discussion

Here, we demonstrate for the first time a robust association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and allelic frequency of the serotonin transporter gene, controlling for associated economic and disease factors. Geographical regions characterized by cultural collectivism exhibit a greater prevalence of S allele carriers of the serotonin transporter gene, even when cultural regions rather than nations served as the unit of analysis. Additionally, we show that global variability in historical pathogen prevalence predicts global variability in individualism–collectivism owing to genetic selection of the S allele of the serotonin transporter gene in regions characterized by high collectivism. Importantly, we also reveal a novel and surprising negative association between individualism–collectivism, frequency of S allele carriers of the serotonin transporter gene and global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorder. Across nations, both collectivism and allelic frequency of the S allele negatively predict global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders. Critically, our results further indicate that greater population frequency of S allele carriers is associated with decreased prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders due to increased cultural collectivism.

Activists stage a protest against the law prohibiting the "propaganda of homosexuality" in St. Petersburg in November.

March 12, 2012

Russian Orthodox Church Backs 'Homosexuality Propaganda' Ban

by RFE/RL's Russian Service

A leading official in the Russian Orthodox Church has called on Russian lawmakers to adopt a national law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality among minors. Father Dmitry Pershin, head of the church's youth council, has called for the State Duma to approve "without delay" a law that would make it a crime to promote homosexuality to people younger than 16. His statement came after the governor of Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, signed into law a new measure calling for fines of up to $33,000 for propagating "homosexuality among minors." Gay rights activists have protested, saying the law could be used to ban public demonstrations by Russia's embattled gay and transgender community. Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but antigay sentiments among many Russians remain strong.

With a 64 percent landslide, Vladimir Putin claimed his third term as Russia's president Sunday, prompting celebrations, protests and accusations of voting fraud. Protesters vowed to continue demonstrating until their demands for democracy are met. Margaret Warner reports from Moscow on Russia's varying reactions to the vote.

Russian Orthodox Church Backs 'Homosexuality Propaganda' Ban

by RFE/RL's Russian Service

A leading official in the Russian Orthodox Church has called on Russian lawmakers to adopt a national law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality among minors.Father Dmitry Pershin, head of the church's youth council, has called for the State Duma to approve "without delay" a law that would make it a crime to promote homosexuality to people younger than 16.His statement came after the governor of Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, signed into law a new measure calling for fines of up to $33,000 for propagating "homosexuality among minors."Gay rights activists have protested, saying the law could be used to ban public demonstrations by Russia's embattled gay and transgender community.Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but antigay sentiments among many Russians remain strong.

Liberty and free thinking is in your genes! Spread them around, for the true victory of Democracy!

*

Cultural stereotypes may be deep rooted in our genetic makeup, say scientists. Common traits like British individualism and Chinese conformity could be attributed to genetic differences between races according to a new study.The study, by the department of psychology at Northwestern University in Illinois, suggests that the individualism seen in western nations, and the higher levels of collect...ivism and family loyalty found in Asian cultures, are caused by differences in the prevalence of particular genes.'We demonstrate for the first time a robust association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and the serotonin transporter gene,' said Joan Chiao, from the department of psychology at Northwestern University. Chiao and her colleagues combined data from global genetic surveys, looking at variations in the prevalence of various genes. The findings were matched with other research which ranked nations by levels of individualism and collectivism.The team focused their attentions on the gene that controls levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain which regulates mood and emotions. Their studies found that one version of the gene was far more common in western populations which, they said, was associated with individualistic and free-thinking behaviour.Another version of the same gene, which was prevalent in Asian populations, they said was associated with collectivism and a greater willingness to put the common good first. People with this gene appeared to have a different response to serotonin.If they are confirmed, the findings made by Chiao and her colleagues would suggest that races may have a number of inherent psychological differences — just as they differ in physical appearances. Chiao suggests that the version of the gene predominating in Asian populations is associated with heightened anxiety levels and increased risk of depression. She adds that such populations respond by structuring their society to ward off those negative effects. The success of such social structures would then ensure that the gene would spread.She added the findings showed how culture could exert a powerful influence on human genetics and evolution.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2113350/Why-individualism-free-thinking-genes-British-people.html#ixzz1oudNyUfy

Common traits like British individualism and Chinese conformity could be attributed to genetic differences between races according to a new study.

*

Cultural traits or genetic ones?

by: Dominic Tobin, The Sunday Times

THEY may seem like cultural stereotypes, but the traits of rugged British individualism compared with Chinese conformity may be rooted in genetic differences between races, say scientists.

Their study suggests that the individualism seen in western nations, and the higher levels of collectivism and family loyalty found in Asian cultures, are caused by differences in the prevalence of particular genes.

The scientists looked at a gene that controls levels of serotonin, the brain chemical which regulates mood and emotions. They found one version of the gene was far more common in western populations where, they said, it was associated with individualistic and free-thinking behaviour.

The other version, which was prevalent in Asian populations, was associated with collectivism and a greater willingness to put the common good first. People with this gene appeared to have a different response to serotonin.

If confirmed, the findings would suggest that races may have a number of inherent psychological differences — just as they differ in physique and appearance. “We demonstrate for the first time a robust association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and the serotonin transporter gene,” said Joan Chiao, from the department of psychology at Northwestern University, in Illinois.

Chiao and her colleagues combined data from global genetic surveys, looking at variations in the prevalence of various genes. The findings were matched with other research which ranked nations by levels of individualism and collectivism.

The findings, published in a paper, and in a new book called Pathological Altruism, found that Asian nations, including China, Japan and Korea tended to have higher proportions of the “collectivist” gene in their population.

Such findings will need further confirmation but could provide a tentative explanation of why the Japanese economy, for example, tends to be based around large companies showing high levels of loyalty between managers and employees. Economists often contrast such enterprises with the hire-and-fire culture of the West.

The key questions are: how can one gene have such an effect? And why should it spread in some populations and not others?

Chiao suggests that the version predominating in Asian populations is associated with heightened anxiety levels and increased risk of depression. She adds that such populations respond by structuring their society to ward off those negative effects. The success of such social structures would then ensure that the gene would spread.

Chiao said the findings showed how culture could exert a powerful influence on human genetics and evolution.

Uploaded by UBC on Feb 3, 2011 Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Chiao is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University. She studies how cultural and biological forces give rise to everyday emotion and social interaction. Research in her lab also examines how high-level factors, such as race, gender and age, affect basic cognitive, perceptual and emotional processes.

Psychology Faculty Profiles

Links

Research Interests

How do cultural and biological forces give rise to everyday emotion and social interaction? I use a 'cultural neuroscience' framework to investigate how cultural factors influence basic psychological and neural processes underlying social behavior and emotion processing, using functional neuroimaging (fMRI), event-related potentials (ERP), genotyping and behavioral paradigms. Research in my lab also examines how high-level factors, such as race, gender and age, affect basic cognitive, perceptual and emotional processes. At a broader level, I'm interested in integrating psychology and neuroscience research with public policy and population health issues.

Culture–gene coevolutionary theory posits that cultural values have evolved, are adaptive and influence the social and physical environments under which genetic selection operates. Here, we examined the association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism ...

Abstract

Culture–gene coevolutionary theory posits that cultural values have evolved, are adaptive and influence the social and physical environments under which genetic selection operates. Here, we examined the association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and allelic frequency of the serotonin transporter functional polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) as well as the role this culture–gene association may play in explaining global variability in prevalence of pathogens and affective disorders. We found evidence that collectivistic cultures were significantly more likely to comprise individuals carrying the short (S) allele of the 5-HTTLPR across 29 nations. Results further show that historical pathogen prevalence predicts cultural variability in individualism–collectivism owing to genetic selection of the S allele. Additionally, cultural values and frequency of S allele carriers negatively predict global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorder. Finally, mediation analyses further indicate that increased frequency of S allele carriers predicted decreased anxiety and mood disorder prevalence owing to increased collectivistic cultural values. Taken together, our findings suggest culture–gene coevolution between allelic frequency of 5-HTTLPR and cultural values of individualism–collectivism and support the notion that cultural values buffer genetically susceptible populations from increased prevalence of affective disorders. Implications of the current findings for understanding culture–gene coevolution of human brain and behaviour as well as how this coevolutionary process may contribute to global variation in pathogen prevalence and epidemiology of affective disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are discussed.

Navigate This Article

4. Discussion

Here, we demonstrate for the first time a robust association between cultural values of individualism–collectivism and allelic frequency of the serotonin transporter gene, controlling for associated economic and disease factors. Geographical regions characterized by cultural collectivism exhibit a greater prevalence of S allele carriers of the serotonin transporter gene, even when cultural regions rather than nations served as the unit of analysis. Additionally, we show that global variability in historical pathogen prevalence predicts global variability in individualism–collectivism owing to genetic selection of the S allele of the serotonin transporter gene in regions characterized by high collectivism. Importantly, we also reveal a novel and surprising negative association between individualism–collectivism, frequency of S allele carriers of the serotonin transporter gene and global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorder. Across nations, both collectivism and allelic frequency of the S allele negatively predict global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders. Critically, our results further indicate that greater population frequency of S allele carriers is associated with decreased prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders due to increased cultural collectivism.

The current findings suggest a novel demonstration of culture–gene coevolution of human behaviour. Emphasizing social norms that increase social harmony and encourage giving social support to others, collectivism serves an ‘anti-psychopathology’ function by creating an ecological niche that lowers the prevalence of chronic life stress, protecting genetically susceptible individuals from environmental pathogens known to trigger negative emotion and psychopathology. These findings complement notions that cultural values of individualism and collectivism are adaptive and by-products of evolution, more broadly. For instance, recent evidence suggests that cultural values of collectivism also serve an ‘anti-pathogen defence’ whereby behavioural manifestations of collectivism, such as conformity and parochialism, function as buffers against the transmission and increased prevalence of disease-causing pathogens (e.g. malaria, typhus and tuberculosis) (Fincher et al. 2008). Our results provide novel evidence that geographical regions characterized by collectivistic cultural norms have a higher historical and contemporary prevalence of infectious diseases due, at least partially, to genetic selection of S allele carriers (Fincher et al. 2008). Taken together, these findings dovetail nicely as two examples of how cultural values serve adaptive functions by tuning societal behaviour so that social and environmental risk factors are reduced and physical and mental health of group members is maintained. Importantly, in the current study, we found that population frequency of the serotonin transporter gene was a singular predictor of cultural values of individualism–collectivism across nations, even when controlling for historical and contemporary pathogen prevalence. Hence, our findings illustrate that gene frequency plays a unique role in explaining global variation in the adoption of cultural norms and is fundamental to any comprehensive understanding of culture.

A central claim of culture–gene coevolutionary theory is that once cultural traits are adaptive, it is likely that genetic selection causes refinement of the cognitive and neural architecture responsible for the storage and transmission of those cultural capacities (Boyd & Richerson 1985). Extending this logic to the current findings, we speculate that S and L allele carriers of the serotonin transporter gene may possess at least two kinds of information processing biases in the mind and brain that enhance their ability to store and transmit collectivistic and individualistic cultural norms, respectively. Affective biases in attention and cognition may serve as likely candidate information processing mechanisms involved in the storage and transmission of cultural values of individualism and collectivism. One possibility is that positive and negative information processing biases may serve to facilitate individualistic and collectivistic cultural norms. Recent behavioural evidence indicates that individuals carrying the S allele exhibit stronger attentional bias for negative words (Beevers et al. 2007) and pictures (Osinsky et al. 2008), whereas individuals carrying the L allele demonstrate a stronger attentional bias towards positive pictures and away from negative pictures (Fox et al. 2009). By extension, S allele carriers may be more likely to demonstrate negative cognitive biases, such as engage in narrow thinking and cognitive focus, which facilitate maintenance to collectivistic cultural norms of social conformity and interdependence, whereas L allele carriers may exhibit positive cognitive biases, such as open, creative thinking and greater willingness to take risks, which promote individualistic cultural norms of self-expression and autonomy (Isen et al. 1987; Fredrickson 2001). Future research in cultural psychology may examine whether or not cultural values of individualism–collectivism are associated with affective biases towards positive and negative information, respectively, and if so, the process by which affective biases in perception and cognition facilitate the storage and transmission of cultural values and culturally congruent behaviours (e.g. attending to others versus asserting one's self).

Neural activity within brain regions innervated by serotonergic neural pathways, such as the human amygdala, may serve as another likely information processing mechanism involved in the storage and transmission of cultural values of individualism and collectivism. For instance, recent evidence from imaging genetics demonstrates that individuals carrying the S allele show greater amygdala response to emotional stimuli (Hariri et al. 2002; Munafò et al. 2008), which is likely due to increased amygdala resting activation (Canli et al. 2005) and decreased functional coupling between the amygdala and subgenual cingulate gyrus (Pezawas et al. 2005), relative to individuals carrying the L allele. Recent cross-cultural neuroimaging evidence demonstrates cultural specificity in amygdala response to fear faces (Chiao et al. 2008) as well as modulation of medial prefrontal response during self-relevant processing as a function of individualistic and collectivistic cultural values (Chiao et al. 2009a,b). Future research in cultural neuroscience (Chiao in press) may investigate the extent to which cultural values of individualism–collectivism are associated with neural response within brain regions regulated by serotonergic neurotransmission, and if so, the process by which these activity within neural pathways supports the storage and transmission of cultural values and related behaviours.

The current evidence for culture–gene coevolution of individualism–collectivism and the serotonin transporter gene may provide further novel insight into the functional significance of endophenotypes associated with the serotonin transporter gene across cultural contexts. Both of the putative information processing mechanisms that facilitate the storage and transmission of cultural values of individualism and collectivism described above are considered intermediate phenotypes or endophenotypes of affective disorders (Canli et al. 2006; Caspi & Moffitt 2006). Individual differences in anxiety and depression are associated with robust selective attention (Ohman & Mineka 2001), as well as increased amygdala response (Bishop 2007), to negative information, even in normal populations. We suggest that these endophenotypes may confer varying degrees of advantage or disadvantage to individuals depending on the cultural context. For people living in collectivistic cultures, heightened selective attention and increased amygdala response to negative information may be advantageous to achieving collectivistic cultural norms, such as maintaining social harmony. For instance, greater vigilance to negative information may be useful for early detection of another person's anger or fear as well as foreshadowing and avoiding actions or interpersonal situations that may induce negative emotional states in others. Also, greater vigilance to negative information may encourage a stronger narrow thinking and cognitive focus, enabling one to effectively conform to social norms. By contrast, for people living in individualistic cultures, heightened selective attention and increased amygdala response to negative information may be disadvantageous to achieving individualistic cultural norms of self-expression and assertion of self-interests. For instance, greater vigilance to negative information may make one hesitant to express their thoughts and feelings in social contexts or behave in an assertive manner, making it difficult to form and maintain meaningful social relationships in individualistic societies, a social behaviour critical to reducing the risk of affective disorders for genetically susceptible individuals. At the same time, heightened biases for positive information may be advantageous in individualistic cultures. For instance, positive information biases have been shown to encourage creative thinking and openness to novelty and risk-taking (Isen et al. 1987; Fredrickson 2001), which may in turn encourage independent, assertive social behaviour and increase the likelihood of social connection with others. Hence, the functional utility of endophenotypes associated with the serotonin transporter gene may systematically vary as a function of cultural context. Future research is needed to further determine the role that endophenotypes play in the transmission and maintenance of cultural values, practices and beliefs.

A possible limitation of the current study is the reliance on cross-national epidemiological reports for estimates of mental illness prevalence, which may be vulnerable to response biases. For instance, individuals living in collectivistic nations, such as East Asia, are known to exhibit higher levels of stigma towards mental illness, relative to individuals living in individualistic nations, due to increased cultural pressures to save face and conform to social norms (Ng 1997). Hence, it is possible that decreased prevalence of mental illnesses in East Asia may be due, in part, to response biases. Importantly, in the current study, divergent validity analyses indicated that cultural values and allelic frequency of the serotonin transporter gene predicted global prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders, but not impulse control and substance abuse. If response biases were evident in the current cross-national estimates of mental health disorder prevalence, it is likely that they would influence the cross-national prevalence estimates of all of the disorders, not only anxiety and mood disorders. Hence, we suggest that the observed relationship between cultural values, gene frequency of the serotonin transporter gene and affective disorders is not likely due to response biases.

Understanding the aetiology of mental health disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, is vital to relieving the substantial emotional and economic burdens associated with their onset and treatment (Kessler & Ustun 2008). Behavioural genetics studies examining the association between polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene and affective disorders (Uher & McGuffin 2008) as well as the association between environmental interactions with the serotonin transporter gene and affective disorders (Munafo et al. 2009; Risch et al. 2009) within a given population often produce inconsistent results, suggesting a more complex path from gene to disease. The importance of considering GxE interactions in understanding the aetiology of complex psychiatric disorders has become more widely acknowledged (Caspi & Moffitt 2006; Canli & Lesch 2007; Munafo et al. 2009), yet the association between specific cultural and genetic factors underlying affective disorders across human populations has been largely unexplored until now. The present work provides macro-scale evidence for how cultural values play an adaptive role in buffering genetically vulnerable populations from a potentially heightened epidemiological prevalence of mental health disorders. Our cross-population findings complement recent evidence from a within-population study conducted in urban Brazil showing an adaptive benefit of cultural values in buffering genetically vulnerable individuals from depressive symptoms (Dressler et al. 2009). Taken together, these studies underscore the utility of incorporating cultural traits, such as individualism–collectivism, in macro- (e.g. cross-population) and micro-scale (e.g. within-population) models of GxE factors underlying complex affective disorders and the importance of culture–gene coevolutionary theory for understanding typical and atypical human behaviour, more broadly construed.

Russia should join NATO: the benefits for the Global Security are enormous

To reformulate Lord Ismay's phrase: 1) Take Russia in, 2) Continue keeping Germany down, 3) Assert and exercise the US leadership position within the NATO as a unifying and directing force and vector.

"Ловец Человеков"

Connected? The halo is there. And the Book is there. And the disciples are there. But where is the Light of Understanding, in this big curved dark tunnel of a vision? Where is the big red dot? Where is the new beginning?

Russia and US Presidential Elections of 2016 - Google News

Russia international behavior - Google News

RUSSIA and THE WEST

russia ukraine - Google News

West, Russia, Putin

US - Russia relations - Google News

Hillary Clinton and rock group Pussy Riot

"Great to meet the strong & brave young women from #PussyRiot, who refuse to let their voices be silenced in #Russia. 1:09 PM - 4 Apr 2014" - Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton tweeted a picture Friday of her posing with members of the anti-Vladimir Putin punk rock group Pussy Riot. Clinton met with the women during the "Women in the World Summit" in New York. The group has emerged as chief opponents of Putin, and three members were jailed in 2012 after an anti-Putin performance at a church. The tweet has been re-tweeted almost 10,000 times.